Grapple



A. M. DEITERS Dec. 28, 1948,

GRAPPLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4,. 1946 INVENTOR A. M. Deifers BY ME! M ATTORNEY;

Dec. 28, 1948. DElTERs 2,457,135

GRAPPLE Filed Nov. 4, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 72 INVENTOR 21E: 3.. A. M Del'fers ATTORNEYS A. M. DEITERS Dec. 28, 1948.

GRAPPLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 4, 1946 INVENTOR A. M. Deifers BY QM M ATTORN EY S Dec. 28, 1948. M, D TERs 2,457,135

GRAPPLE Filed Nov. 4, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 REEL INVENTOR A. M. Defiers ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 28, 1948 GRAPPLE August M. Deiters, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Southern Wood Preserving Company, Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Application November 4, 1946, Serial No. 707,683, which is a division of application Serial No. 707,681, dated November 4, 1946. Divided and this application November 4, 1946, Serial No.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling crossties and the like and has more particular reference to grapples adapted to pick up and transfer from one platform to another a plurality of crossties formed in a prearranged group.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this character for picking up successive, prearranged layers of crossties, together with a stringer or stringers, as a unit, and transferring them to form complete ricks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as characterized above wherein means are provided for shifting the point of suspension of the grapple so that the'point of suspension will overlie the center of gravity of the grapple, and the particular load carried thereby, so that the load will be balanced and prevented from tilting sidewise.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grapple having a plurality of pairs of longitudinally extending hooks and two or more pairs of I transversely extending hooks, whereby a prearranged layer of crossties, together with a stringer or stringers, can be lifted as a unit.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the grapple, hoist- 12 Claims. (Cl. 294-87) ing mechanism, spacing table, and tram car with a partially formed rick;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the grapple shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the grapple shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of thegrapple with the hooks open (or raised);

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary end elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the grapple; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the loaded grapple about to deposit a layer of crossties, with a stringer, in place on a rick.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No. 707,683, filed November 4, 1946, for Apparatus for handling crossties, which application is a division of my application Ser. No. 707,681, filed November 4, 1946, for Method of handling crossties."

My application Ser. No. 707,681, discloses a method of unloading crossties from railroad cars or the like, conveying the ties to a grouping table where they are automatically grouped into rick layers consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel crossties having at least one of their adjacent ends mounted on a transverse stringer crosstle, and picking up the ties forming a rick layer as a unit and depositing them on a tram car to form a complete rick; 4

My application Ser. No. 707,683, discloses apparatus for carrying out the above method and includes, among the apparatus, the grapple which forms the subject matter of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown, in Fig. 1, a grapple l0 supported by a hoisting carriage ll mounted on a monorail l2. The grapple is shown suspended over a grouping or spacing table Hi, from which it is adapted to pick up successive layers of crossties including a stringer or stringers and transport the layers as units and deposit them in succession on a tram car H to form a complete rick thereon.

The grapple I0 is similar in many respects to the grapple shown in my Letters Patent No. 2,403,346, and includes a generally rectangular frame formed by longitudinally extending end frame members or beams I5 and a pair of transverse parallel grapple shafts l6 fixedly secured to the frame members l5 near their ends. The frame is strengthened and reinforced by a pinrality of spaced parallel, longitudinal frame members l1, having their ends fixedly secured to the grapple shafts l6 and by a spaced. pair of transverse frame members It which are secured to the frame members I! and the end frame members 15. An additional spaced pair of frame members l9 extend transversely of and are secured to the undersides of the longitudinal frame members H.

A plurality of L-shaped grab hooks 20, having cylindrical spacing hubs 2!, are pivotally mounted on the fixed grapple shafts IS with the hubs positioned between the longitudinal frame members I1. The arrangement is such that the hooks can swing freely and independently on the shafts. The hooks on one shaft are oppositely disposed to the hooks on the other shaft and so spaced as to engage the opposite ends of the spaced crossties on the spacing table 13.

The hooks extend outwardly well beyond the opposite ends offthe frame and each of their outer ends is provided with a pair of spaced barbs 22 to prevent the crossties held by the hooks from rotating on their longitudinal axis.

Means are provided for raising or opening the hooks and retaining them in raised or opened position and include a pair of bail members 23 positioned on opposite sides of the frame and extending below and transversely of the hooks 24. The bail members 23 are swingably mounted on the frame by means of a plurality of bail arms 24 having their outer ends fixedly secured to the bail members and their inner ends pivotally mounted on a spaced pair of shafts 25. The shafts 25 are spaced inwardly of the grapple shfts I6 and extend transversely of and are secured to the longitudinal frame members l1.

Each of the bail arms 24 has a latch member 26 pivotally mounted thereon and provided with upper and lower notches 21, 23 formed on their inner sides. The notches are adapted to engage the hubs 2| of the hooks 23 to hold the bail members 23 and the hooks in the raised or lowered position.

The latch members are preferably made of sheet metal and are curved inwardly, as shown, to facilitate automatic operation. The upper ends of the latch members are plvotally connected to operating links 29. The inner ends of the operating links 29 which are connected to the right hand latch members, as viewed in Fig. 3, are pivotally connected to the upper ends of toggle arms 30 which are rigidly mounted on an oscillatable shaft 3|. The inner ends of the operating links 23 which are connected to the left hand latch members. as viewed in Fig. 3, are pivotally connected to the lower ends of the toggle arms 33.

The shaft 3| extends transversely of and above the frame i and is journalled in and supported by upstanding plates 32 fixedly attached to the longitudinal frame members II. The toggles and latch members are normally biased to latching position by means of a coil spring 33 connected at one end to the fixed shaft 25 and, at the other end, to an upstanding crank arm 34 fixed on the shaft 3|.

The latch members are adapted to be released by means of operating handles 35 extending outwardly on opposite sides of the frame Ill. The operating handles are pivotally connected to toggle arms 36 rigidly mounted on shaft 3|. The toggle arms 36 are angularly offset from each other relative to the axis of the shaft 3| by 180,

so that when either of the operating handles 33 are pulled they will turn the shaft 3| clockwise, thereby forcing the latch members 26 outwardly and permitting the bail members 23 to swing downwardly.

It will be understood that the operator will release the hooks by operating one of the handles 35 when the grapple is in position to grab the ties. Then, the hoisting mechanism is operated to lift the grapple so that all of the hooks will swing downwardly on their shafts and engage the ends of the ties.

. The individual, pivotal mounting of the hooks permits them to engage ties of slightly different lengths, those grasping the shorter ties swinging downwardly further than the others. The spacing of the books is such as to insure that at least one of them engages one end of a tie. However, they can be arranged so as to provide for engagement of two or more hooks at each end of a tie.

In order to pick up stringer crossties with a layer of spaced ones, the grapple is provided with special stringer hooks 31. The hooks 31 are pivotally mounted on brackets 33 formed by spaced elongated members 39 secured to the outer ends of longitudinal frame members l1 by means of supporting members 40, the hooks being pivotally mounted between the outer ends of the spaced bracket members 39, as shown in Fig. 3.

The brackets 33 and the hooks 31 are located above and extend transversely of the hooks 23. The hooks 31 are L-shaped and have horizontal arms 4| provided with spaced depending stirrup members 42 which rest on the arms of the hooks 23, so that the side hooks 23 will swing them to open position and all of the hooks will be operated simultaneously. The ends of the hooks 31 are provided with spaced barbs 43, similar to and for the same purpose as the barbs 22 on the hooks 23-.

A transversely spaced pair of longitudinally extending rigid supporting members or bridles 44 are provided, by means of which the grapple is attached to the hoisting mechanism. The

bridle members. are of identical construction and each comprises opposing pairs of diverging members 45, each having their upper ends secured to a rectangular plate 46 located in a position above and extending transversely of the transverse center line of the frame In and having their diverging lower ends secured to the shafts iii of the frame I3, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The plates 46 of the bridles are each provided with an elongated curved slot 41. The upper edge of the slot 41 is provided with longitudinally spaced semi-circular notches or recesses 43, 49 and 59. The lower edge of the slot 41 is provided with a semi-circular notch or recess 5| which is in vertical alignment with the center upper semi-circular recess 49, as shown in Fig. 6. A shiftable lifting bar 52 has its ends projecting through the slots 41 in the plates 46. The projecting ends of the lifting bar 52 are connected by means of links 53 to two hoisting blocks 54 carried by cables 55 connected to the monorail car rlage and wound upon an ordinary winding drum on the carriage.

The notches or recesses formed in the plates are in horizontal alignment and, in effect, provide horizontally aligned, longitudinally spaced pairs of suspension means adapted to be selectively engaged by the lifting bar 52 as it is shifted in the slots 41, whereby the grapple will be pivotally suspended from the lifting bar.

The center pair of notches or recesses 49 are located in the transverse vertical plane of the grapple which passes through the center of gravity of the grapple when suspended without a. load. The pairs of recesses 43 and 53 are spaced from the center pair of notches or recesses a predetermined distance so that they are located in a transverse vertical plane of the grapple which passes through the center of gravity of the grapple and load when loaded with a predetermined unbalanced load. In the particular embodiment shown, the center pair of recesses 49 are located in the vertical plane of the transverse axis of the grapple and the pair of recesses 43 and 53 and are so positioned with reference to the transverse axis of the grapple that, when the grapple is loaded with a layer of crossties with a stringer crosstie on the left hand side, as viewed in Fig. 6, the grapple will be balanced in a horizontal plane about its transverse axis when suspended with the lifting bar 52 engaged in a pair of recesses 43 and when the grapple is loaded with a layer of crossties with a stringer crosstie on the right hand side, as viewed in Fig. 6, the grapple will be balanced in a horizontal plane about its transverse axis when suspended with the lifting bar 52 engaged in the pair of recesses 50.

Means are provided for shifting the lifting bar 52 from one end to the other in the slots 41 so that the lifting bar may be engaged in either of the three upper pairs of recesses 48, 49 and 50. These means include a transverse shaft 55 oscillatably journalled in the irmer pair of upstanding plates 32 with its ends projecting beyond the plates. A pair of upwardly projecting arms 51, provided with elongated slots 58, are fixedly attached to the projecting ends of shaft 55. The lifting bar 52 is also mounted to project through the elongated slots 58 in the arms 51.

A cross bar 59 extends between and is secured to the upper ends of the arms 51. A pair of iongitudinal diverging tension springs 60 have their upper ends secured to an upstanding lug 5i fixedly attached to the cross bar 59 and their lower ends secured to the fixed shafts 25 which are spaced outwardly from the transverse center line of the frame ill. The springs 60, acting through the slotted arms 51, tend to hold the lifting car 52 normally in vertical alignment with the upper and lower recesses 49 and 5|, respectively. Thus, when the cables 55 are paid off, the lifting bar 52 will fall by gravity into the lower recess 5| in the plates 46. This happens when a load of crossties is deposited on the rick R, and, when tension is again applied to the cables by the hoist, the lifting bar 52 will rise vertically in the slotted arms 51 to engage the central upper recess'es 49 in the plates46 to pick up the grapple and keep it balanced in its horizontal position.

In order to shift the lifting bar 52, when the grapple is lowered upon a layer of crossties on the spacing table, the cross bar 59 has pivotally connected thereto a pair of handles 52 extending on opposite sides of the grapple. By pushing or pulling on either of the handles 52, the operator is able to shift the lifting bar 52 into position to engage either of the upper recesses 48 or 50. The operator will hold the handle with the lifting bar thus shifted until hoisting tension is again applied. It will be understood that when a layer of crossties with two stringers is picked up, the lifting bar is not shifted from its central position.

The hoisting carriage II is adapted to be stopped in the proper position to lower the grapple over a layer of spaced crossties on the spacing table by means of an ordinary limit switch 63. The hoisting carriage is also shown as having depending guiding horns 64 at its opposite ends to receive the loaded grapple in its lifted position and prevent it from swinging while the hoisting carriage is moved from one position to another.

It will be understood that the grapple can be guided to its lowered position by suitable guides (not shown). However, this can be accomplished by the operator, who can grasp one of the operating handles to properly position the grapple.

When the loaded grapple is hoisted and conveyed to a position over the tram car to form the rick R, it is stopped automatically in its proper position by means of an ordinary limit switch 65. To guide the layer of crossties to its proper position on the rick, there is shown an elevator platform 56 surrounding the rick and operated by a motor 61 driving a drum 68 carrying cables 69 connected to the four corners of the platform. The platform is guided by the supporting beams of the monorail structure. The platform is shown as carrying upstanding guiding horns 1| curved inwardly at their upper ends to provide cam guides for the. grapple as it is lowered to the load delivering position. The grapple is provided with guide rollers 12 adapted to engage the guide horns H. The rollers 12 are rotatably mounted on the projecting ends of the grapple shafts I5.

The elevator platform is limited in its up and down movements by upper and lower limit switches 13, 14. When the rick is finished, it will be understood that the elevator platform is lifted above the level of the completed rick to permit the loaded tram car to be moved out of its position and a new one spotted to be loaded. Then the elevator platform is lowered about the level of the platform of the tram car.

In order to facilitate the operation of the operating handles 35 and 62, their outer ends are slidably mounted in upstanding brackets 15 and II, respectively, fixedly mounted on the side brackets 38.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided a grapple relatively simple in construction and practically automatic in operation. It facilitates the handling of very heavy crossties and effects great economy in preforming ricks by picking up, as a unit load, a preformed layer of spaced crossties, together with its associated stringer or stringers and stacking the layers on a tram car to form a completed rick thereon.

Obviously, the invention isnot restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described, but the apparatus is capable of various modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A grapple for lifting as a unit a plurality of spaced crossties or the like having at least one of their adjacent ends mounted on a transverse stringer crosstie, comprising a substantially rectangular frame; a plurality of pairs of longitudinal grab hooks pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to engage the opposite ends of the spaced crossties; means for raising said hooks to open position; latching means for holding said hooks in the open position; a pair of transverse grab hooks pivotally mounted on said frame adjacent each end thereof and positioned above and extending transversely of said longitudinal hooks and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a stringer crosstie; and means operable by said longitudinal hooks for raising and holding transverse hooks in open position when said longitudinal hooks are raised and held in open position.

2. A grapple, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the grab hooks are in the form of L-shaped hook members pivoted to swing in vertical planes.

3. A grapple, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for raising the longitudinal hooks include a pair of bail members adapted to engage the longitudinal hooks to move them to their open position, said bail members having at least two bail arms rigidly attached thereto and pivotally connected to opposite sides of the frame on transverse axes spaced-inwardly from the pivotal axes of the longitudinal hook members, and wherein the latching means comprise a latch member pivotally connected to each of said bail arms and having notches adapted to engage the frame to hold the bail members in their raised position and to limit the downward swinging movement of the bails when the latches are released.

4. A grapple, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said last named means include depending members secured to said transverse hooks and resting on said longitudinal hooks.

5. A grapple, as set forth in claim 1, including a lifting member adapted to be connected to a hoisting cable; a supporting frame rigidly mounted on said grapple frame and having a plurality 7 of laterally spaced suspension means formed thereon, said suspension means being adapted to be selectively engaged by said lifting member in suspended engagement when said lifting member is raised; and means for shifting said lifting member to engage a selected one of said suspension means whereby said grapple with its load will be suspended from said lifting member in a horizontally balanced position relative to the transverse axis of the grapple.

6. A grapple for lifting as a unit of a plurality of crossties or the like having at least one of their adjacent ends mounted on a transverse stringer crosstie, comprising a substantially rectangular frame having means to suspend it in a horizontal plane from the hoisting cable of a crane; a Plurality of grab hooks pivotally mounted on a transverse shaft near each end of the frame and arranged to swing downwardly to grasp the ends of the group of spaced crossties; spacing hubs on each of said grab hooks permitting them to swing independently of each other to engage ties of different lengths in the same group; pivoted bail members suspended from the frame and extending outwardly to engage the under sides of the grab hooks to lift them to their open position: latch members connected to the balls and arranged to engage spacing hubs at opposite sides of the frame to hold the balls in their hook-opening positions, said latches having notches arranged to limit the downward swinging movement of said balls so that they will hang in planes at acute angles to the plane of the frame; manually operable toggle links connected to release said latches; a pair of grab p hooks pivotally mounted on said frame adjacent each end thereof and positioned above and extending transversely of said first named grab hooks and adapted to engage the opposite ends of a stringer crosstie; and means operable by said first named grab hooks for raising and holding said pairs of grab hooks in open position when said first named hooks are raised and held in open position.

7. A grapple, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the toggle links include toggle arms mounted on a shaft extending across the central portion of the frame and wherein spring means is associated with the toggle and link mechanism for biasing the latches toward their latching positions.

8. A grapple, as set forth in claim 6, wherein the latch members are pivotally mounted to swing downwardly into their latching positions, and the balls are so mounted as to ride outwardly on a layer of crossties when the grapple is lowered to unloading position and thereby automatically release the crossties.

9. A grapple for handling unbalanced loads of crossties or the like, comprising a frame having grappling means mounted thereon; supporting means rigidly attached to said frame; a movable member adapted to be connected to a hoisting means and shiftably, pivotally connected to said supporting means whereby said grapple will be pivotally suspended from said member with the of gravity thereof when the grapple is unloaded;

and means for moving said member to a predetermined position so that the axis of suspension will lie in a vertical plane extending transversely of the grapple and passing through the center of gravity thereof when the grapple is loaded with an unbalanced load, whereby the grapple will be maintained in horizontal balance with reference to its transverse center line.

10. A grapple for lifting as a unit a rick layer of crossties or the like consisting of a plurality of spaced parallel crossties having atleast one of their adjacent ends mounted on a transverse stringer crosstie, comprising a substantially rectangular frame; a plurality of pairs of grab hooks pivotally mounted on the frame and adapted to engage the opposite ends of the spaced crosstics; a pair of grab hooks extending transversely of and pivotally mounted on said frame adjacent each end thereof and adapted to engage the opposite end of a stringer crosstie; a horizontally spaced pair of bridle members extending longitudinally of and rigidly secured to said frame, said bridle members having a plurality of horizontally aligned longitudinally spaced pairs of suspension means formed thereon; a lifting member adapted to be connected to cable hoist positioned between said bridle members with its ends adapted to selectively engage a pair of said aligned suspension means whereby when said lifting member is hoisted by said cables, said grapple will be suspended from said lifting member; said aligned pairs of suspension means being so positioned relative to the transverse axis of the grapple that the grapple will be balanced in a horizontal plane about its transverse axis when suspended with the lifting member engaged in a pair of aligned suspension means pre-selected with reference to the particular load; and means for shifting said lifting member from one pair' of aligned suspension means to another.

11. A grapple, as set forth in claim 10, including means for normally holding said lifting means in engagement with a pre-selected pair of suspension means, whereby said grapple will be balanced in a horizontal plane about its transverse axis when suspended without a load.

12. A grapple, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said bridle members are provided with horizontally aligned elongated slots through which the ends of said lifting member project and wherein said suspension means comprise a plurality of horizontally aligned, longitudinally spaced recesses formed in the upper edges of said slots and adapted to engage the ends of said lifting member.

AUGUST M. DEITERS.

No references cited 

